


The Paper Game

by anissa_qiaolian



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-23 00:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21311038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anissa_qiaolian/pseuds/anissa_qiaolian
Summary: There are worse games to play in District 13. Johanna teaches Katniss one of the better ones.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Johanna Mason, Katniss Everdeen/Johanna Mason
Kudos: 75





	The Paper Game

**Author's Note:**

> this is kind of inspired by the Tony Stark/Nebula scene at the beginning of Avengers: Endgame. I just wanted to write a fluffy Joniss oneshot set in District 13 where Kat and Jo play the paper football game. I also have a few WIP's that are all Joniss au's, so I'm super exited for those :)

I am in my cot, thinking about nothing in particular (except for how much I loathe staring at the sterile white walls of 13’s hospital ward. I don’t think I’ve ever understood Effie’s affinity for obnoxious color patterns more than I do right now. If anyone could use a good paint job, it would be the dank underground walls of District 13.) when Johanna’s bony foot pokes into my side.

I scowl at her. She smiles back, undisturbed. “Hey brainless. I just thought of a game we should play.”

I turn over in my cot. “Thanks, but I’m not that into games these days.” 

Anyone would have taken my sullen comment for it was and maybe backed away from me for good measure. This is the response I expect. Maybe I should stop expecting Johanna Mason to act like a normal person. I might save time that way.

“Well suck it up”, Johanna says instead, her tone no less excited than before. “‘Cause its awesome, and we’re gonna play anyway.”

Resigning myself, I turn around and sit up, but cross my arms around my chest to show Jo my displeasure. Johanna pulls out a piece of yellow notebook paper that’s been folded into a pointy, three inch triangle.

“Where did you get that?” I ask, eyeing her and paper warily. I have an idea where she’s taken it from, all of Coin’s “soldiers” are given yellow notepads during strategy meetings for taking notes and the likes. Johanna, me, and Haymitch are provided with them during these meetings, before they are given back to Commander Boggs before we leave the room.

Coin doesn’t trust us victors with anything that could be used as a weapon, including paper. I haven’t decided yet if I agree with her.

Johanna rolls her eyes. “I snagged it from one of her henchmen on our way out yesterday. Told him I needed it for doodles, some shit like that. Anyway, the paper’s not the point, ok? Now come here, I wanna teach you something.”

Curious as to what lesson Jo plans to instill in me with a folded scrap of paper, I scoot to the edge so my legs hang off the cot. Jo is on the edge of her cot, too, and I’m close enough to see that the worry lines that constantly line her face are gone for the first time in weeks. I wonder what game could make her this happy, and in the back of my mind wonder if this is safe after all.

“Okay. So put your hands like this.” She sets down the paper on our singular piece of furniture, the dull gray nightstand that is otherwise empty, and holds her hands up. Her thumbs and index fingers come to form an L shape on both hands, while the rest of her fingers stay down. I stare at her hands, trying to figure out what this signal means. Jo is frowning, which means I’m doing something wrong, so instead of staring at her I put my hands up and mirror the gesture myself. 

“A little closer together”, Jo instructs. I obey. “Good. Now raise your arms...little more....perfect.”

Those words of praise feel so foreign coming from Johanna and I don’t know why, but knowing I inspired them from my ornery roommate makes my lips quirk up in a smile, however small and brief. But of course, Jo catches it before I can hide. Her response, to my surprise, is a tentative smile back. “See. Knew you would like this game.”

“We haven’t even started yet,'' I say. I think about my arms, still held out in front of me with both hands in the odd L formation. “What kind of game is this anyway?”

Jo smiles, all signs of shyness gone in the smug glint in her eye. I’ve seen Johanna smug before, and I’ve seen her cocky. But this spark in her eye looks like something more childish, more carefree and fun.

I decide immediately that its my favorite look of hers. 

“Now keep your hands steady Everdeen. I won’t have my first loss at this game on the likes of you mucking up the formation.”

I scowl at Johanna, but there’s no malice in it this time. I’m curious to see if this will really be as fun as she says it is. Johanna narrows her eyes in concentration before flicking the paper in my direction. It sails over my hands, landing neatly between the crook of my jumpsuit.

“Yes!” Jo whoops, even doing a little victory gig as I toss the paper back to her. I have to admit, its kind of adorable. I don’t have time to examine why I’ve just had troubling thought about Johanna Mason being adorable when she tosses me the back the paper and shakes her head.

“It’s your go Katniss.” I stare at her blankly before I remember the paper and utter out a small “oh” for my mistake. Don’t wanna give fuel to Johanna’s assertions that I’m  _ brainless _ .The nickname doesn’t gibe me the wrong way like it used to, anymore, mostly because its become a force of habit for Jo and become a regular nickname.

Kind of like how I slip up and call her ‘Jo’ sometimes outside of the sanctuary of my head. It’s only happened twice but she hasn’t seemed to mind yet. Which is good considering I think it might be catching on between us.

Johanna does the L shape thing with her hands and I’m trying to remember how she flicked the paper. Did she use her ring finger or the index? What about the positioning of her hands? I think I saw her use her left…

“For fucks sake Katniss, just go already!”

I do as Jo says and the paper goes flying in the air between us. Its close, but it ultimately lands just outside her hands. “Your a pretty good shot Everdeen. You wanna go again?”

I blush and shake my head. “I’ll go after your turn.” Johanna smirks and lines up the paper.

I can’t count how many turns we take back and forth, but after the first few tries I start getting the hang of the game, making it between Johanna’s fingers almost as much as she does with mine. We forget to keep score. I don’t think competition was the reason Jo taught me the game anyway.

We needed a distraction. We needed a friend.

We needed to play a game that wouldn’t give us nightmares.


End file.
